Boston Latin Student Dies Of Probable Bacterial Meningitis

meningitis12-year-old Nina Zheng died from a probable bacterial meningitis infection.

BOSTON (CBS) – A seventh grade girl at Boston Latin Academy has died in a suspected case of bacterial meningitis, according to a Boston public health official.

“At this difficult time our hearts ache for the family and friends of this young student,” Mayor Tom Menino said in a statement. “We mourn her loss and join with the Boston Latin Academy in this hour of grief.”

Twelve-year-old Nina Zheng was rushed to a Boston hospital on Friday after she came down with symptoms of the illness.

WBZ-TV’s Diana Perez reports

“Tonight, the entire Boston Public Schools community mourns the loss of one of our students,” Superintendent Carol R. Johnson said in a statement. “We send our most sincere condolences to those who loved her. We have assembled a team of counselors who are ready to work with the Boston Latin Academy community in the difficult days ahead.”

Meningitis is an infection of the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord.

Boston school department spokesman Matt Wilder said parents of students were notified during the weekend.

“We made phone calls home to all of our families and teachers at the school on Saturday. It’s a very low risk of transmission, that’s what we know. But we do want to take proper precautions,” he told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Monday.

Health counselors were at the school Monday to talk with students and faculty.

As a parent who has lost a son to bacterial meningitis, I will pray for this girl’s recovery. When my son died, I did not know that a vaccine was available that could have saved his life. Because of his death, I became one of the founders of the National Meningitis Association, and I hope to spare other families from what my family has endured. Please be aware of the CDC recommendations. Routine vaccination is recommended for all 11-12 year olds, with a booster dose in five years. All college students should have been vaccinated within five years of starting college. Don’t think that this can’t happen to your family, because it can. It happened to mine. Please visit our Web site for more information.

This is awful at anytime for anyone, but particularly at a time like this, during the Thanksgiving Holiday week. They say the risk of transmission is very low, but that is no comfort to families of those like this student who contracted it fatally. Sorry to hear and thinking of the student’s loved ones at this time.

As a student at Boston Latin Academy, I m very upset by Ninas death. it”s so sad that she was so young. they’ had greif councelers come in to school for any students/teacheres who needed them. all of the students found out about the whole meningtus thing over the weekend, and by monday everybody knew who it was and what had happened. we leared that she was brain dead, and by that night everyone recieved an email from the school that she had passed. its so sad. when i got onto facebookthat night, there were tons of status’s in Ninas memory. tomorrows school spirt day will be for nina<3 good bless and rest easy Nina #onlythegooddieyoung

My heart goes out to this family. I lost my daughter who was 11 last year on Dec. 8, 2010 to bacterial meningitis. It was a horrifying experience to go through. It is so painful to watch your child suffer in that way. I wish peace for this family. I know that won’t ease their pain. Nothing will at this time. I truly am sorry for their loss.

As a student of BLA my heart feels like its bin ripped out and crushed on because i was lucky enough to know her even though i knew her briefly what ive gone through these past days is undescribable their feels lik theirs something missing in school because their is a wonderful person who brought happiness and loVe
<3 Once a dragon always a dragon!